Prashant Kishor Files Bankipur Bypoll Nomination, Declares Rs 96 Cr Assets

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor filed his nomination papers for the Bankipur Assembly byelection on Monday. This was the final day to submit candidatures for the upcoming election.

His election affidavit revealed total personal assets of Rs 96.06 crore. His wife, Jahanvi Das, holds assets valued at Rs 101.93 crore, The Indian Express reported.

The Bankipur constituency has long been a Bharatiya Janata Party stronghold. Senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin held the seat for five consecutive terms. It fell vacant after Nabin was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Polling for the assembly seat is scheduled for July 30, 2026. The counting of votes will take place on August 3, 2026.

Breakdown of Financial Assets

Movable assets form a substantial share. Kishor declared movable assets worth Rs 22.19 crore. Das listed movable wealth amounting to Rs 89.51 crore.

Investments in unlisted companies drive Kishor's financial portfolio. He holds a 100 per cent stake in Vedhas Ventures Private Limited. The affidavit values this equity at Rs 95.26 crore. He also maintains more than Rs 7.36 crore across various financial instruments and bank fixed deposits.

Kishor owns immovable assets worth Rs 73.87 crore. These consist of an out-of-use rice mill covering over three acres in the Rohtas district of Bihar. He also declared homes in Ghaziabad, New Delhi's Vasant Vihar and Patna's Patliputra Colony, as well as a share of ancestral land. Das declared immovable assets worth Rs 12.42 crore, The Indian Express reported.

Pending Legal Cases

Legal hurdles remain active. Kishor's affidavit details eight pending criminal cases. Authorities registered the majority of these during 2024 and 2025. He has no convictions, and courts have framed no charges against him to date.

The FIRs contain allegations of unlawful assembly, rioting, obstructing public servants, criminal conspiracy and criminal defamation.

The Patna High Court is currently reviewing several of these cases under revision petitions. Multiple defamation complaints remain at the pre-cognisance stage before Chief Judicial Magistrates, The Indian Express reported.

Academic and Educational Background

The election affidavit outlines Kishor's academic record:

He completed his matriculation from M.P. High School in Buxar in 1991 and intermediate education from Patna Science College in 1993.

He obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Lucknow between 1996 and 1999.

He earned a Master of Healthcare Administration from the Administrative Staff College of India in Hyderabad. This was a collaborative programme with Johns Hopkins University and Hinduja Hospital, completed between 2001 and 2003.

He completed an advanced French-language programme at CAVILAM Vichy, affiliated with Clermont-Ferrand University in France, in 2010.

Campaign Trail and Contestants

Supporters marked the day. Kishor led a high-profile roadshow to the District Collectorate before filing his papers. Hundreds of Jan Suraaj workers joined the procession. They chanted "Ladenge Bankipur, Jeetenge Bankipur" along the route.

"This is not just my nomination; it is a nomination for the changing face of Bihar and for a better future for the state. It marks the beginning of a call to oust criminals from power," Kishor said.

The Bankipur byelection—traditionally a straightforward BJP contest—is now a highly watched three-way battle. Kishor will contest against BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar Sinha and Jan Janata Dal candidate Veena Manvi.